Textile articles, such as linens and clothing, are typically made of one or more pieces cut from a large roll fabric. At the edge of the fabric pieces the fibers contained therein have loose ends where they have been cut. The loose ends result in an edge which is unattractive if left unfinished. Furthermore, an unfinished edge may begin to fray, is easily torn or can result in the fabric unraveling. The most common method of finishing the fabric piece is to hem the edges, such that the cut edge is folded over twice and the resulting three layers of fabric are sewn together. This results in the cut edge being entirely enclosed in between the folded fabric, such that it is not visible and may not fray.
A hem requires only the simplest stitching of thread to hold the fabric together. However, a simple hemstitch is plain and it is frequently desirable to have a more attractive hem. To enhance the hem, a more elegant and embellished stitch may be used. Alternatively, decorative elements may be sewn to cover the hemstitch.
A conventional method of hemming a textile article with an embellished stitch is shown in FIGS. 1a through 1e. The cut edge 12 of textile article 10 is folded over a first time producing fold edge 14, such that cut edge 12 is adjacent an interior region of the fabric and parallel to fold edge 14. The article 10 is subsequently folded over a second time in the same manner, producing finished edge 16 which is parallel to both cut edge 12 and fold edge 14. As a result, cut edge 12 is completely enclosed within the fabric. Typically, the distance between cut edge 12 and fold edge 14 is the same or smaller than the distance between fold edge 14 and finished edge 16. This assures that the folded fabric lays flat and is not bunched within the hem.
After the first and second folds, the layers of fabric are fixed in place by fix stitching 18 along fold edge 14. The folded fabric and fix stitching 18 is shown in FIG. 1b. Embellished stitching 20 is then added to textile article 10 covering the plain fix stitching 18.
Imported home textiles are subject to a tariff according to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS). The magnitude of the tariff varies with the type of fabric used and elements included in the textile article. Section 6302 of the HTS requires that higher tariffs be paid for textile articles that include certain embellishments. Specifically, section 6302 states that articles containing embroidery, lace, braid, edging, trimming, piping or applique work are subject to higher tariffs than those that do not. For example, plain cotton bed-sheets are subject to a tariff of 6.7%, whereas cotton bed-sheets with one of the listed embellishments are subject to a tariff of 20.9%. Therefore, it is desirable to exclude the use of added decoration in textile articles to avoid the high tariff, and only include stitching. Without the inclusion of added ornamentation, it is desirable to include an embellished stitch so that the textile article is not plain. However, an article as shown in FIG. 1b which includes the embellished stitch formed in the manner described above is subject to the higher tariff as including embellishments.
The United States International Trade Commission views the embellished stitching 20 shown in FIG. 1e as one of the listed embellishments in light of the fix stitching 18. The fix stitching 18 is viewed as the functional element securing the hem and the embellished stitching 20 around it is viewed as purely ornamental. As a result, foreign textile manufacturers are required to either pay the higher tariff or import textile articles with plain unattractive hemstitching. Therefore, a method of hemming a textile article with attractive stitching, but without fix stitching, is highly desirable.